


Waiting Only For You

by gaygreekgladiator (ama)



Category: Spartacus Series (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Other, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-31
Updated: 2013-05-31
Packaged: 2017-12-13 12:18:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/824239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ama/pseuds/gaygreekgladiator
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Based on the prompt "Join Us." Nasir makes an offer to Castus.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Waiting Only For You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sisterwinchester (takemehome)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/takemehome/gifts).



> Title is taken from the song "Come Away To The Water," by Maroon 5. Prompted by sisterwinchester!

It was late afternoon when they walked away from Spartacus’s body. It seemed like an eternity later when Agron called a halt, because he refused to allow torches, and they walked only by the light of the moon. Their group was mostly women, children, and other non-combatants, who were not used to a soldier’s march. Castus gazed at the night sky with a critical eye, and pronounced it midnight.

“And we yet head north?” Agron asked wearily. “True north? It would be a good fucking jest if we were to march to Rome’s gates in the dark.”

“True north,” Castus nodded.

“We will hit no cities until Corfinium,” Laeta said.

“A day’s walk, or more,” Nasir noted. “Tomorrow we must send out scouts or risk being discovered on the roads.”

“We must discuss in greater detail,” Agron said firmly. “But…”

He looked out over the small crowd of refugees under their care. Castus put a hand on his shoulder.

“I will see to camp, while you deal with more weighty concerns,” he offered with a smile. Agron nodded his gratitude, and Castus left, while Laeta, Nasir, and Agron began to consult.

After another half-hour, Nasir left them. Laeta and Agron wanted to see to the camp preparations more, while Nasir was too fatigued for anything but sleep. He had been working longer and taking on more duties since Agron’s injury, and the events of the day had left him drained.

He found Castus outside of their tent, preparing food, and sank down gratefully. Castus gave him a small smile—it was too late, and they had lost too many, for true joy—and offered a kiss in greeting.

“Where do we go?”

“We move to reunited with Agron’s people, east of the Rhine,” Nasir said. Ironically, neither he nor Agron was as certain about such a decision as Laeta; Agron yet believed that he was too changed a man to return to his old life, and Nasir was worried about the cost of trying, and perhaps failing, to ingratiate himself to such a life. It seemed that Laeta, whose life had been overturned a half-dozen times in the past few months, no longer cared. “Some will wish to remain in Italia; in smaller groups, they will be able to enter the northern cities without great suspicion.”

“Germania,” Castus said thoughtfully. “Do you not desire to see Syria?”

Nasir swallowed. The two of them had often spoken of his homeland; Castus knew it well, and had so many stories to relate, that Nasir could almost pretend he remembered it. He had even begun to learn a few words of the language, though it embarrassed him how much the words tripped over his tongue.

“You know I do,” he said shortly. “Yet… I fear it impossible. Laeta says that the Roman presence in the east is too strong for safe passage. In Agron’s tribe, we will be safe.” He let out a soft laugh. “For the first time in gods-know how long.”

Castus wrapped an arm around his shoulders and kissed him on the temple.

“Then I am glad. I will go with you as far as Ariminum.”

The night echoed with the familiar sounds of camp being settled—muffled by the need for secrecy. For a moment Nasir remained still, listening to the noisy wind. He drew back from Castus’s embrace; his skin felt cold all over, but a lover’s touch did nothing to aid it.

“Speak,” Nasir demanded. “And give meaning to words.”

In the dark, it was difficult to discern Castus’s expression. He looked away, and dim moonlight struck his face.

“I know four tongues, a handful of skills, and dozens of cities. Nothing that will aid us in Germania. Amongst his people, his family—it will be strange enough for him to have you, let alone a man such as me. I will not ask Agron to abandon his home, and I will not ask you to abandon him.”

“You would leave us so easily?” Nasir asked, his voice merely a whisper.

“Nasir—”

“As Agron left us?”

Castus swallowed and reached for his hand, but Nasir stretched it away.

“What purpose is there for me, east of the Rhine?”

“What purpose do you require?” Nasir spat. He stood angrily. “We are not _slaves_. We require no purpose—we are bound only by the bonds forged between one another. You would seek to break those bonds.”

“Do not hit me,” Castus said peevishly.

“I did not intend to hit you!” Nasir said, suddenly annoyed.

“Good. In the past, you have only done so when I attempted to press advantage too close; it would be unfair to resort to the same punishment for the opposite act.”

“How should I punish you?” he sighed. Reluctantly, he sat. Castus had adopted his usual light manner. Beneath it, Nasir could yet perceive more solemn reflections, but he guessed that more anger would only cause the Cilician to draw back further. “Let it be severe enough to banish foolish thoughts from mind.”

Slowly, Nasir leaned against Castus’s side, rested his head against his shoulders, and closed his eyes. Agron had allowed no fires, so no invading light disturbed him. The night was dark and cold, and he could retreat from everything besides the smooth warmth of Castus’s skin beneath him, the steady thump of his heart.

“What do you want from me?” Castus asked softly. “I have asked no questions because…” He laughed derisively. “Because I thought we were soon for the afterlife. When one is to remain in unfamiliar land for a short time only, there is nothing to do but watch, learn, and enjoy. But a journey that may last weeks or months… it cannot be travelled blind.”

The wind tickled his hair, and Nasir breathed deeply as he thought. What had first drawn him to Castus? His boldness, certainly. His easy manners and compliments, which had all the grace of a noble’s speech, but none of the condescension.  That could have been easily disregarded, except for a moment’s fancy, but it had been followed by a steady respect, by patience and optimism and gratitude. Castus was not an easy man to understand, but he was easy to love.

And… he had been alone. Nasir remembered what it was like to join the rebellion late—his purpose in life had suddenly been eliminated, the gladiators had already closed ranks, and he seemed half a traitor already, from virtue of being a house slave and a Syrian (although, he reflected with a self-deprecating smile, his half-witted attempt at assassination had not helped, either). When he had seen Castus there, sitting in the snow, absent ally or reason to smile—and smiling anyway, flattering, pledging loyalty to a cause that had not wanted him—he had felt the immediate, powerful urge to comfort him. When Agron had sensed that urge, and acted upon it, Nasir’s heart had swelled with a stronger love than ever before.

“Come with us to Germania,” he said calmly. “Because I know nothing of it, and Agron is a changed man. He is afraid, I am afraid… you are the best among us at navigating strange lands and learning strange tongues. The absence of a ship will not change that. And I give no shit,” he added, feeling Castus’s lungs swell with protest. “If his people find it strange. We have lost too much, Castus. I would sooner carve off a piece of my own heart than part from you now.”

Castus stared at him in the darkness, and Nasir kissed him with all the strength he had left, after such a day.

“And if you think to disagree, I will make Agron force you,” he murmured sweetly. “He fell in love with you because I commanded it to be so. I doubt he would be pleased with such betrayal now.”

“How could I hope to stand against the two of you united?” Castus laughed. “There are no men in all the world such as you.”

“Nor you. You are dear to us, more than you know. Join us, and we will convince you.”


End file.
